Master of Architecture Program Overview
The School of Architecture offers a NAAB accredited Master of Architecture professional degree (M. Arch). The M. Arch. program has the goals of developing students’ abilities to conceive and accurately represent environmentally sound and aesthetically fitting spaces at different scales and to provide a basis for understanding the consequences that these spaces have for their inhabitants, for society, and for the environment .The School of Architecture current research emphasis areas are:
• Environmental, historic, and socio-cultural contexts ranging from the city to the building site
• Form, spatial aspects, and aesthetic considerations
• Sustainable desert climate architecture
• Solar and energy efficient design
• Tourism and recreation aspects.
The School of Architecture capitalizes on the unique conditions provided by the city of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. Furthermore, our graduates are partaking in excellent employment opportunities in the design and construction professions during this period of unprecedented regional growth.
Program Options
Because of differing levels of preparation among entering master’s degree applicants, different paths for admission have been established according to NAAB accreditation requirements; namely, the 4+2 and the 3+ paths.
• The 4+2 path is intended for students holding the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in architecture or its equivalent in curriculum content to the UNLV B.S. in Architecture undergraduate program. Qualified applicants holding a Bachelor of Architecture professional degree (i.e., five year) from an institution recognized by UNLV and meeting the admission requirements may be granted advanced placement.
• The 3+ path is designed for qualified applicants holding undergraduate or graduate degrees in fields of study other than architecture. If admitted, students are required to complete both undergraduate- and graduate-level preparatory work as specified by the program faculty before proceeding to the final four semesters of the Master of Architecture program.
Accreditation
In the United States, most state registration boards require a degree from an accredited professional degree program as a prerequisite for licensure. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), which is the sole agency authorized to accredit U.S. professional degree programs in architecture, recognizes three types of degrees: the Bachelor of Architecture, the Master of Architecture, and the Doctor of Architecture. A program may be granted a six-year, three year, or two-year term of accreditation, depending on its degree of conformance with established educational standards. The UNLV Master of Architecture program was accredited by NAAB in 1997
Admission Requirements
Each Master of Architecture program applicant must hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university recognized by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher. Applicants are also required to submit a design portfolio for review, a statement of intent, two letters of reference, and GRE scores of 410 or higher in the verbal section and 430 or higher in the quantitative section. The combined GRE score of these two sections may be no less than 850. International students whose native language is not English must also submit a TOEFL score of 550 (written) or 213 (computerized) or better.
The application deadline for the Master of Architecture program is February 1. For additional information on the application and admission processes please visit the UNLV Graduate College website: http://graduatecollege.unlv.edu/